Van Deurzen v. Yamaha Motor Corp. USA

¶ 1. This action by Steven R. Van Deurzen, his mother and his brother arose from a jet ski accident in which Steven's arm was amputated. The plaintiffs successfully convinced the trial court that the accident occurred on navigable waters and that maritime law should apply. It turned out to be a Pyrrhic victory when a judgment and order of the trial court dismissed the claim as time-barred by a maritime statute of limitations. Now on appeal, new counsel takes the opposite position, arguing that the trial court erred in applying maritime law to this action. This case presents a textbook example…